Creating Geometry with the Push/Pull Tool

Use the Push/Pull Tool to push and pull faces to add volume to or subtract volume from your models. You can use push/pull to create volume out of any face type, including circular, rectangular, and abstract faces. Activate the Push/Pull Tool from either the Toolbar or the Tools menu.

Preparing to Use the Push/Pull Tool

Start a new file before continuing with the next exercise. To start a new file:

Click on the Rectangle Tool (). The cursor changes to a pencil with a rectangle ().

Click anywhere in the drawing area to set the first corner point of the rectangle.

Move the cursor diagonally. A rectangle will expand out from the first corner point.

Click again to set the second corner of the rectangle. A rectangular face is created bordered by four edges.

Using the Push/Pull Tool

To push or pull a face:

Click on the Push/Pull Tool (). The cursor will change to a 3D rectangle with an up arrow ().

Click on the rectangular face created in the previous exercise.

Move the cursor to create (or decrease) volume.

Press the Esc key at any point during the operation to start over.

Click when the volume has reached the desired size.

You can also press and hold the mouse button, drag the mouse, and release the mouse button to create a volume.

You can use the Push/Pull Tool to create volume from any shape, whether it be an abstract shape drawn using the Freehand Tool or a shape drawn on another piece of 3D geometry. Following are some examples of Push/Pull operations.

Pushing and Pulling a Curved Face

You can use the Push/Pull Tool on faces that have an arc as an edge similarly to using the Push/Pull Tool on regular faces. The curved face that results from the push/pull operation is called a Surface entity. Surfaces can be adjusted as a whole, but are comprised of a number of faces or a curved face set.

Creating Voids with Push/Pull

You can create a void, or empty space, simply by drawing a 2D shape on 3D geometry and using the Push/Pull Tool to push the 2D face until it meets the back face of the 3D geometry. The following three images demonstrate how to push/pull a 2D face that is drawn on 3D geometry to create a void.